Will China Become a Superpower in the Near Future - Essay Example

Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Will China become a superpower in the near future? Introduction A superpower is a country that has a leading position in the international arena and is capable of influencing major events across the globe. It has the ability to credibly attain the status of global supremacy. The fundamental components of superpower stature are measured in terms of military, economic, political and social influence. Currently the economy of China has significantly improved and is the second in the world. Its business ties and diplomatic relations is wide spread and is felt in many parts of the world. The country’s economic capacity in terms of local supplies of both food and natural resources is satisfactory1. China also boasts of an organized and highly developed nuclear competence. The paper will look at the economic, political, social and security viability of china as a possible superpower. The current state of China will be critically evaluated. The major influences China has all over the world together with other internal factors will be extensively discussed. China’s economic ascendancy favors its ability to be the next superpower in the near future. One of the economic policies of china to develop its economy is to forge trade ties with other countries. For a country to be a superpower it requires allies who will closely work it in terms of economic development. China has established trade ties with most countries in the world and is continuously seeking expansion in Africa where most of the products consumed are from china and thus making it very popular among African countries. The technical cooperation has also seen China offering grants and economic development projects to most countries in the world thereby making it grow its economy and popularity even more than the United States of America. Trade with other countries has also increased trust with most European and African countries which continue to rely on it for technical support. Most of the tools and materials used for various purposes all over the world are from China as a result2. A superpower country ensures that its citizen’s needs are well catered for and it includes food security3. Although China has the largest population in the world, it is also among the most food secure Nations. This is achieved by huge injection of funds on agriculture. According to a UN report China is among the fewest countries in the world that will have attained the millennium development goals by having the occurrences of incidences of hunger in its population. Various policies were put in place in order to achieve it and include administrative and technological reforms in the agricultural sector by the help of visionary leaders. China has also dedicated large swaths of land for irrigation of mainly rice and other crops and exports grains and other cereals to many Asian and African countries unlike the present superpowers which is the United States of America which though is food secure, does not export much of its agricultural produce4. China is also one of the richest countries in terms of natural resources and minerals. It has the largest metal reserves than any other country in the world. All types of minerals are also found in China. According to a geological report there are more than one hundred and fifty three minerals in China. The coal reserves in China stand at 1,007.1 billion tones and 46.35 billion tones of iron ore. Natural gas, oil shale, petroleum reserves and phosphorus are also found in plenty5. Recently China began intensive mining and exploitation of these resources which are quite profitable and generate huge sums of money that can sustain China’s economy for many years and develop the country extensively. If the returns from minerals exports are well utilized then China will be the richest country and hence a key factor to becoming a super power6. Technological advancement is also an important tool for a country to become a superpower. Currently the rate of technology use in China is growing rapidly and is among the highest in the world. Technology plays vital roles in China’s economic departments like agriculture, military and defense, health mining and has enhanced various useful innovations. In the field of biology, china has succeffuly developed clones for various plants and animals through genetic engineering. China has also launched various space rockets through its team of experienced engineers and astronauts. Various robots have also been developed to carry out certain manual tasks including a robot that can work six thousand meters in the sea; this is quite an outstanding achievement in China. High speed computers were also developed in China including various electronic appliances likes mobile phones7. China relies heavily on the use of modern technology and more emphasis is put on learners so as to promote innovations. All this technological advancement proves that China will be a superpower in future8. China possess quite a number of innovative structures which shows the capabilities to achieve even much results in future and becoming a superpower. An example being the construction of Wuhan and Nanjing Yangtze bridges which are among the most unique in the world, Ghezhou dam, huge ships and most recently the fastest train with high capacity to carry many passengers and the fastest in the world. These innovations are only found in China and even the current superpowers do not posses such innovations9. It is therefore important to note that in the near future China will become a superpower. China is the leading country in terms of technology when it comes to road and bridges construction and has seen it win many tenders to construct roads and bridges allover the world and more so African continent. Most Chinese companies are also recognized for their contributions in long lasting structures compared to any other country in the world. Education is power and any country that has the ambitions of becoming a superpower needs to have a large number of educated people in order for them to carry out innovations and development. Education is compulsory for nine years in China and attendance of 90% in primary school and 80% in secondary schools. There are more than 1,550 universities, 50,000 technical colleges and about 725,000 professors in China which is among the highest in the world. The government has various policies on education including the compulsory learning and free education10. The annual budget on education is about $100 billion at the moment portraying the importance the government’s commitment in education. Students with special needs are also not left out in terms of education since schools for students with special needs have been established county wide. With all this educated people and resources, China is defiantly headed for greater ambitions of becoming a superpower11. Any country that aims at being a superpower needs a strong military and defense force to counter any threat from any country or any terrorist organization. China has more than two million military personnel which are among the highest in the world. China has modernized its military equipment and is competing with the United States of America. Its weapons include long range ballistic missiles, hydrogen bombs, atomic bombs and a range of space assets. In 2007, China successfully tested a direct anti satellite missile capable of attacking satellites operating in low earth orbit. China has established a strong military presence in its borders and at one point its neighbors Japan were concerned about it. This is done to protect its borders from external attacks. The Chinese army regularly carries out patrols along its border despite its large geographical area. The army also participates in regular exercises in order for the soldiers to maintain fitness and learn new combat techniques necessary for the modern time. The recruits usually undergo intensive military training12. . Various health reforms have taken place in China aimed at providing the best health care in the world in order to reduce mortality rates, eliminate infectious diseases and prevent deaths. The Chinese government has a health plan that sees every citizen allocated $7 to carter for their treatment directly and thus ensure they live longer and continue building the nation. China was able to contain the SARS deadly virus which leads to the deaths of almost four hundred people13. The swift action demonstrates Chinas ability to handle emergency cases in the shortest time possible with less fatalities and hence growth towards becoming a superpower. Chinas foreign policies are also increasing the chances of making it a superpower. The Chinese government leaders’ travel throughout the world to improve its relationship with other nations and this has also helped in easing tension in Asia. China is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a very prestigious position and is even seeking a much higher profile with other multilateral organizations. It also holds talks with other Asian nations yearly to strengthen its cooperation and thus putting it in a good position to be a superpower. China has also signed treaties with various nations including Russia in 2001 in a treaty known as Treaty of friendship and cooperation. China foreign policy has seen it boost its trade with other countries and also gained popularity and good relations with many countries including Zimbabwe in Africa which has fallen out with the west. This demonstrates the support china has from other countries in its quest to become a superpower in the future14. Poverty reduction in China is a factor that will contribute towards achieving the superpower status in future. In the 1980s china alone contributed to 30% of people living below poverty line in the entire world. However due to various interventions the level of poverty has dropped to 10% currently and is expected to drop even further by the year 2015 what r. Low poverty levels means high economic growth will be registered and hence sustainability of China leading to investments in other sectors of the economy and thus striving to become a superpower. Poverty in the rural areas of China has also greatly reduced and hence the urban rural migration is not very high in China compared to other countries and this is a factor that contributes to poverty since the rural areas are left underdeveloped. China has achieved the highest growing economy in the world and has an average gross domestic product of 8%. A superpower also requires minimal percentage of unemployment which in China stands at 4.2% which is very minimal compared to any country in the world considering its huge population15. The goodwill of the Chinese people is also a factor that is required of them in order to become a superpower. No country will ever achieve success if the people themselves are not willing or ready to make sacrifices. In China however the people always have positive attitude and they never give up easily, making them the most hardworking in the entire world. China is a country that is usually frequented by earthquakes which sometimes destroys the entire infrastructure leaving the people with nothing but this has never dampen their spirit of hard work and they always recover within a very short period of time16. For a country to be a superpower the people must be hardworking and this is one of characteristics of the Chinese people. After any major catastrophe the people of China wok hand in hand with the government to solve the issues. This shows the commitment of both the government and the people towards achieving greater goals in the future. The people of China also have the capabilities of achieving any target as portrayed by the projects they carry out17. The political alignment system of China is different from the west and fully vests the power to the people and thus holding any elected people accountable for all the decisions they make. This therefore makes the government people friendly and thus making decisions that are acceptable to the people. Any leader who goes against the will of the people is usually forced to resign pending investigations that may lead to prosecution if found guilty. The constitution of China also ensures conducive environment for development is always created and thus boosting the economic growth. Most of the elected leaders are usually visionary lead by the current president Hu Jintao and usually come up with vibrant economic plans that ensure growth. With the combination of visionary leaders who plan for the future together with the political system of China it is obviously gearing towards achieving the superpower status in the near future Zhao18. Scientific innovations are becoming quite popular in China and are quite useful in making any nation a superpower. Many scientific inventions have been made and it includes the world largest telescope whose dish alone is the size of thirty football fields and is scheduled to be completed in 2013 and will greatly help in advancement of astronomical observations, it will also be ten times large than the one found in the United States of America who are superpowers. This proves the capabilities of China in emerging a superpower in the near future. The scientific innovations of China has also been of threat to the United States of America and most competitive. This has lead to the Americans looking for several means to counter the scientific might of China. Since 2003 China has been sending more and more astronauts into space to gather various information which has also enhanced its radio communication19. Most of the important and earliest scientific innovations came from China and was exported to the west and it includes the gun powder. This according to historians shows that China has the potential to rise again in future20. In terms of its infrastructure China is also proving that it has capabilities of becoming a superpower and currently there around 108 super projects being implemented in China spanning from modern silk roads that will link Europe and India and also the development of the largest ever wind power base in the world21. China also spends the highest amount of money in infrastructure development than any other country in the world and thus even the infrastructure in the rural areas can be compared to the best infrastructure in the developing countries. Infact there is a saying in China that associates getting rich and building of roads. The public transport which includes the railway infrastructure is among the best and reliable in the world22. In order to promote investment inside China, there are measures put up to boost the internal security for all citizens and any other people visiting China. China has strength of about 1.5 million armed policemen to ensure security and safety of the people. The police also have a responsibility of fighting crime throughout the country. The factor of adequate internal security attracts tourists and investors and thereby boosting Chinas economy and hence gearing towards being a superpower. The crime rates in China is quite low and according to studies there was no crime reported in China between 1957 to 1965 in some rural areas this is much of an achievement that cannot even be recorded in the United States of America which is a superpower 23. According to Golas energy sector is important for any economy especially large economies in order to promote industrialization, small scale businesses and other domestic services24. China has over the years strengthened its electricity supply and is currently the second largest electricity consumer in the world. China has abundant energy and is currently the third country with the largest coal reserves and hydroelectric resources. China also has nuclear infrastructure that produces electricity for domestic consumption apart from relaying on hydroelectric power and coal. This boosts power supply to the national grid. Most of the Chinese homes are connected to electricity which is readily available than in most countries. Electricity availability leads to the growth of the economy through working both day and night which is good for business and investments. In the near future most of the people will have access to electricity and thus use of electronic equipment like computers will be widely spread which in return ensures high technological advancement and rise to superpower25. Manufacturing industry is also among the fastest growing sectors in the economy of China. This is an important area for a country to become a superpower since it not only ensures self reliance of a country but also it creates massive employment opportunities for its citizens. The manufacturing industry in China produces item like nuclear power sets, transformers, rail transport equipment, textile making equipment and petro chemical equipment. The export of these equipment has boosted the revenue earned by the Chinese government to a tune of billions of dollars and has thus greatly improved the economy of China. Most Chinese products are also exported all over the world and are easily gaining popularity and acceptance due to their durability and affordability and thus increasing the popularity of China which is also important in making it a superpower. The manufacturing industry currently serves as the pillar of Chinas economy and is the major employer in cities and towns across China26. The geographical size of China also gives it a lot of advantages in terms of becoming a world superpower. China has a total area of 9598094 square kilometers and is ranked the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada. This large area ensures that it can be utilized for many economic activities and it can also support a large population. This means that the terrain has many different changes including mountains, hills and valleys and also plateaus. It is therefore an advantage since these terrains can be put into various uses including military training areas, farming areas, mining and also adventurous sites like mountains which are important for tourism attractions. Having a large geographic area also means that incase of situations like war it will take a lot of time for the enemy to penetrate into the entire country which acts as an advantage and places it in a better position to become a super power. This and other benefits of large productive area are beneficial to China27. Conclusion In conclusion, it is important to note that the influence of China across the world is steadily increasing especially in terms of economy and diplomacy. China has systematically formed diplomatic ties and expanded trading networks all over. The military might of china is also evident. It has the ability fully guard itself against external attacks and at the same support other nations in their quest towards attaining sustainable security status. The ability of China to sustain its large population according to the paper is a factor that proves its capability of becoming the next superpower compared to many other countries with good economies and military strength. It can therefore be rightly said that China is likely to become the next superpower. Works Cited Buzan Barry and Weaver Ole. Regions and powers: the structure of international security. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Yue Zhang, Marina. China 2.0: the transformation of an emerging superpower--and the new opportunities. London: John Wiley and Sons, 2009. Sieff, Martin. Shifting superpowers: the new and emerging relationship between the United States, China, and India. Cato Institute, 2009. Lak, Daniel. India Express: The Future of the New Superpower, "Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Bauer, Julia Christine. China as a Major Strategic Factor in the Future World. GRIN Verlag, 2009. Shirk L Susan. China: fragile superpower. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Angang, Hu. China in 2020: a new type of superpower. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2011. Kolodziej A. Edward. Kanet E. Roger. From superpower to besieged global power: restoring world order after the failure of the Bush doctrine. Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 2008. Rosefielde, Steven. Russia in the 21st Century: The Prodigal Superpower. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Sieff, Martin. Shifting superpowers: the new and emerging relationship between the United States, China, and India. Cato Institute, 2009. Yue Zhang, Marina. China 2.0: the transformation of an emerging superpower--and the new opportunities. London: John Wiley and Sons, 2009. Zhao Quansheng and Liu Guoli. Managing the China challenge: global perspectives Asian security studies. New York: Taylor & Francis Publishers. Golas, J. Peter., “The Emergence of Technical Drawing in China: The Xin Yi Xiang Fa Yao and its Antecedents,” History of Technology. Vol 21, 1999, pp.29-63p.475. Read More